cheesesteak? (Rio Rancho, Corrales: buy, university, live)

[Zandyman]

I know it's probably too much to ask, but has anyone found a good philly-style cheesesteak in town? Maybe down by the university?

Looking to satisfy an odd craving today....

-Z

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Zandyman

I know it's probably too much to ask, but has anyone found a good philly-style cheesesteak in town? Maybe down by the university?

Looking to satisfy an odd craving today....

-Z

Good luck with that. It's hard to find a decent cheesesteak in any city outside of Philly, even in the East. I can imagine a pretty tasty NM alternative involving shaved bison steak, onions and chili con queso on a sub roll.

[karmathecat]

Lived in the PHL/NJ area for 6 years, love me a good steak. I think Pat's has an edge over Geno's but the best are at a place called Pudge's in Norristown.

I have a couple of recommendations.

First, they will not use the same kind of peppers or bread ( with one exception, or so they claim ), you have to remember that Italian frying peppers/cubanelles/whatever you want to call them are not readily available here. You can buy them at the Corrales Growers Market but I am unaware of any place making cheesesteaks that use the correct peppers. In my mind, green bells are not a substitute, but a lot of people like them.

In the PHL area, the best steaks are made on rolls baked by the Amoroso bakery. Petitto's in Rio Rancho claims to use Amoroso bread, but it does not taste as I remember. Perhaps they are not as fresh, perhaps they are frozen/thawed. The meat and cheese they use is not close enough to the original in my mind to make the bread elevate the sandwich to anything other than slightly above average.

In my mind good steak starts with the meat. It must be rib eye and it must be thinly sliced when frozen and then cooked with onions on a hot grill. Cheese is added at the end and the gloopy insides go into a bun and are served smoking hot.

I only have found 2 contenders.

First is DG's Deli, 1418 MLK DG's Deli

makes a good cheesesteak and is open only for lunch ( closes at 3 )

Tickles and Snooks Wings and Things 6219 Montgomery ( at San Pedro and behind Ho Ho Chinese )

Tickles & Snooks Wings 'n Things - Home

makes a better cheesesteak and is open for lunch and dinner. Because they also do amazing wings, they can make my Buffalo Beef Cheesesteak which is a basic cheesesteak without peppers, topped with blue cheese and some XHot Wing Sauce.

Plus they do fries.

[Suebrown67]

Wings and Things on Montgomery makes excellent cheesesteaks! They also have unbelievable wings.

[ApartmentNomad]

I was just back in Philadelphia over the weekend and had one (well, a steak sandwich since I can't really do cheese), but it wasn't too good. Maybe getting it in the suburbs was a mistake, but there wasn't time to do anything else (and we are talking about very near suburbs). Maybe the restaurant could have used more of an Italian presence in the kitchen.

[christmaschiles]

tickles has great food.. I had a kobe burger last time... the meat was wonderful =)

[marmom]

So excited to try Tickles and Snooks... My husband is ecstatic that they have frog legs.

[karmathecat]

They got a great review in the Journal last Friday....3 stars.

[bandelier]

I know there's nothing like a South Philly cheesesteak, but Lenny's doesn't have a bad one. Just ask them to put provolone on it instead of the American cheese.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by karmathecat

Lived in the PHL/NJ area for 6 years, love me a good steak. I think Pat's has an edge over Geno's but the best are at a place called Pudge's in Norristown.

Pat's & Geno's? I never liked either of them when I lived there. My favorites were Gaettanos and Mama's in Bala Cynynd.


I agree with you that it is very difficult to find a cheesesteak of quality outside of Philly. Even Northern NJ/NYC couldn't do it.